


but you gotta be there for me too

by AutisticMob



Series: Leopika Week 2020 [5]
Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Comfort, Established Relationship, Fluff, Gender Dysphoria, Hospitalization, Hospitals, Hurt/Comfort, Jewish Character, M/M, One Shot, Post-Canon, Trans, Trans Character, gender confirmation surgery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:07:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24427006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AutisticMob/pseuds/AutisticMob
Summary: Day 5 of Leopika WeekPrompt(s): InjuryLeorio helps Kurapika take care of himself whilst in the hospital, recovering from his top surgery.
Relationships: Kurapika/Leorio Paladiknight
Series: Leopika Week 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1758400
Comments: 4
Kudos: 74





	but you gotta be there for me too

“Hey, Kurapika...how are you feeling?” Leorio asked, squeezing his husband’s hand. 

Kurapika’s eyes fluttered open, and he groaned. A searing, bright pain spread through his chest like a flame. “Shit…” he huffed. “It kinda feels like I’m dying.”

Leorio laughed and nodded. “Yeah, that’s usually how it feels. It sucks for a while, but then it stops sucking and you feel a lot more comfortable with yourself.”

“Is that how it is?” Kurapika laughed, gritting his teeth as another wave of pain shot through his chest. 

Leorio pulled the blankets up a bit more, making sure that Kurapika was as comfortable as possible. “Yeah. I know you’re in pain right now, but in a few months, you’ll feel great.”

“A few months? You’re joking.”

“I’m sorry, my dear. You want me to ask the nurse to give you more pain meds? It may make you feel a little better. You may even be able to take a nap, since you didn’t sleep well last night,” Leorio said as he brushed a stray lock of hair from Kurapika’s face. 

“That’d be awesome, but I don’t remember last night at all,” Kurapika admitted. 

“Yeah, that’s normal. Pain meds do that to you sometimes. I’ll ask next time the nurse comes around.”

Kurapika raised his eyebrows. “Can you just do it?”

Leorio laughed, loud and full. “No. I don’t even have any medicine on me, sorry.”

“Mm...I kind of want to see my chest,” Kurapika said. He hadn’t looked at it since he got out of surgery. He knew it wouldn’t look like he wanted at first; Leorio had spent months helping him mentally prepare for it. 

“Are you sure? You’d be better off looking at it again in a week or two, when things aren’t such a mess.”

Kurapika sighed. “Maybe you’re right…”

Leorio stroked Kurapika’s hand with his thumb. “It’s not like it looks bad. I saw it, and you look great. Like I said, your surgeon knew what he was doing, but...every top surgery looks gross at first.”

Kurapika smiled, albeit weakly. “You were the one who told me about him, so...I owe part of the success to you.”

Leorio’s cheeks flushed, and he cast his gaze towards the floor. Kurapika was much too cute for him to handle sometimes; it was damn near overwhelming. “Ahaha...a-all I did was help you find someone, he did the work and you’re the one who has to deal with all the shitty stuff!”

Kurapika clicked his tongue. “Let me compliment you, Leorio.”

“Don’t put me in the hospital too,” Leorio mumbled, “I have to go to work.”

“I know,” Kurapika replied. “My scars won’t be like yours, right?”

Leorio shook his head. “Nah. Mine are bigger, since my boobs were fuckin’ huge.”

“Were?” Kurapika asked. 

Leorio inhaled sharply through his nose. “You know what I mean, stupid.” 

“Yeah. My chest was small, so I guess I got lucky.”

Leorio nodded. “Yea, less tissue to remove, so smaller scars.”

“Did they let you watch the surgery?” The thought of it disgusted him, and the videos he’d found online of other peoples’ top surgery processes recorded by doctors didn’t help. 

“Nah. Being a doctor doesn’t mean I get to watch surgeries for free,” Leorio laughed. 

“Mm...I’m hungry,” Kurapika said. He sat up, gritting his teeth and clutching at his chest. 

“Shit…”

Leorio leaned forward and placed his hands on Kurapika’s shoulders. “Hey, don’t sit up. Your wounds are still healing, okay?” He said gently as he fluffed the pillows behind his husband. 

“I’ll get you something to eat and bring it up to you. Don’t get up,” Leorio warned as he rose from his chair beside Kurapika’s bed, groaning as the cramped muscles in his back stretched. 

“Ouch, fuck…” he groaned. 

“I’ll make sure and find something you like, okay? If they don’t have anything kosher, I’ll get you some fruit, and I’ll bring a meal from home.” Leorio made for the door and left. Kurapika shifted in and out of consciousness for the entire time, what felt like several hours but was probably only a few minutes. 

“Hey, sorry. It was hard finding anything kosher, but I got you some chicken soup, with matzah balls,” Leorio said as he carried a cafeteria-style tray into the room. He placed it down on the small table beside Kurapika’s bed, and returned to his seat in his chair. 

Kurapika moved to sit up, but Leorio extended his arm out in front of him. 

“Don’t. Like I said, you could tear your stitches open. Let me feed you. Only if you want, of course.”

Heat crept into Kurapika’s cheeks, but he couldn’t deny that he almost relished it, in a strange way. It was nice to be taken care of for once, turning the power over to someone he trusted and who he knew would take care of him.

“That’s fine.”

Leorio was taken aback. “I thought you’d put up more of a struggle. I was prepared for a fight,” he joked. 

Kurapika laughed and shook his head. “Not now. I’m tired.”

Leorio smiled, tender and gentle. “Yeah. I understand. It’s a lot to deal with, emotionally and physically.”

“Mhmm.”

“Alright,” Leorio picked up the tray and placed it on his lap. “Does it hurt to move your arms?” 

Kurapika nodded. “The area under my arms is really sore.” He opened his mouth as Leorio lifted a spoonful of the warm chicken soup towards him. It was surprisingly good, but he figured it may have just been nostalgia getting the better of him. 

Leorio cut one of the matzah balls in half and fed the half of it to Kurapika. 

“Does it taste okay?”

“It’s actually pretty good.”

Another spoonful of the soup. 

“I’m surprised,” Leorio said, “hospital food is usually garbage.”

“Maybe I just have rose-tinted goggles,” Kurapika said. He stopped to eat the other half of the matzah ball. 

“Oh?”

“My mom always made chicken soup, especially when I was sick. She insisted it was the cure for everything,” Kurapika laughed, but Leorio noticed the unmistakable dark flame of sadness that danced in his deep brown eyes. 

“Ah…”

“Breaking news! Jewish mothers worldwide have found the cure for colds, the flu, upset stomach, fatigue, headaches, and even depression,” he joked, exhaustion weighing heavy in his voice. 

“I...I bet she’d be proud of you, if she could see you now.” He wordlessly raised another spoon of the soup up to Kurapika’s lips. 

He sipped it and sighed. “Probably. I’m not sure how my dad would feel seeing me like this...he was always the more traditional one.”

“It doesn’t matter. It matters what you want. It’s your life, you should find your own happiness.”

“I suppose,” Kurapika sighed. He ate the rest of the matzah balls and drank the soup as Leorio held the bowl to his lips. It was much better than he expected, although maybe that was just because he hadn’t eaten since the night prior. 

“Is this just a one-time thing?” Kurapika asked. 

Leorio shook his head. “Of course not. I’ll take care of you until you’re better.”

“Even when I get discharged?” Kurapika asked. 

“It’s probably gonna be a few more days, but yes. Even when you get discharged, I’ll take care of you until you can manage yourself, okay?” Leorio reassured as he stroked his husband’s hand. 

“Okay.”


End file.
